203: How TOMRA is Rethinking the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Paradigm

Innovation Storytellers

What will it take to move beyond the traditional recycling conversation and into a future where circularity is a business imperative, not just a sustainability slogan?

In this episode of Nordic Visionaries, I speak with Tove Andersen, President and CEO of TOMRA, a company founded in Norway that has been working on circular economy solutions for over 50 years. With operations in over 100 countries, TOMRA's mission focuses on resource optimization. From reverse vending machines that reward consumers for returning bottles and cans to advanced sorting technologies that help car manufacturers reclaim high-quality aluminum, TOMRA is helping to build the infrastructure for a closed-loop system that works at scale.

Tove shares how her background in physics and her 24-year leadership career in global agriculture positioned her to see sustainability and profitability as deeply intertwined. She also explains how TOMRA is collaborating with governments and manufacturers to make circular systems commercially viable and scalable and why timing, transparency, and incentives matter more than ever.

What stands out is the reminder that sustainability isn’t just an environmental issue. It is a design challenge, a policy challenge, and above all, an innovation opportunity. From redefining product end-of-life to rethinking local waste infrastructure, Tove offers a compelling vision for turning waste into a resource and circularity into a driver of growth.

Is your business truly part of the solution, or are you waiting for regulation to catch up? Let us know what you think. What’s the next right step for companies aiming to build a more sustainable future?